Falcons Mock Draft Duel: A challenger approaches?

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Ladies and gentlemen, we are back with another Falcons mock draft duel, this time after a massive win over the Jets in London. Today we have a guest mock draft coming in hot, so let’s get this Falcons mock draft party started! And as always, thanks to RiseNDraft.com and nflmockdraftdatabase.com for the simulator.

Hunter’s Falcons Mock (@hthompsonNFL)

Tried to switch it up this week and go with a few guys who I haven’t talked about much, but I love this mock. I also tried staying put just to see what a potential board looks like, so enjoy the mock.

Round 1 Pick 8: Georgle Karlaftis, EDGE, Purdue

• Karlaftis is a bigger EDGE at 6’4″ 275lbs. Karlafitis is a nasty run defender who also uses a variety of pass rushing moves to help win his hand fights against the OL. He dominates at the POA and displays a great football IQ. Karlafitis would be a good fit in the multi-look front we use in Atlanta.

Round 2 Pick 48: George Pickens, WR, UGA

• Pickens actually started the season as my number 1 WR before the season. But the ACL injury has him sliding down the board, great for Atlanta though if they’re willing to gamble on it. The Falcons need a true big bodied X WR, and Pickens can be that. He is listed at 6’3″ 200lbs, fantastic contested catch WR who can help open up the downfield passing game because Ridley isn’t the guy to be winning 50/50 balls down field.

Round 2 Pick 55: Derion Kendrick, CB, UGA

• Yes, another UGA player. Kendrick is AJ Terrell’s former running mate at CB when they made the Natty back in 2020 at Clemson. Now, he’s helping lead their secondary, as they have the best defense in the nation. Kendrick is a sticky CB who has had some off-the-field concerns, which is why he has slid to this point. But a talent like his here is too hard to pass up. Kendrick may not fit the prototype that the Falcons are looking for at CB with his 5’11” 190lb frame, but his coverage skills are very good and it’s hard to find a CB with the experience he has at this point in the draft.

Round 3 Pick 79: Zion Johnson, iOL, Boston College

• The Falcons add another day 2, midround OL here with Zion Johnson. Johnson has experience at OT and OG so he offers versatility. Johnson is a high character guy that caught a senior bowl invite last season but chose to go back to school. Was one of my higher rated iOL guys going into this season too. Best case scenario is Johnson grabs the starting LG spot or beats our McGary at RT. Worst case Johnson could be a Matt Gono replacement while we build depth along the offensive line.

Round 4 Pick 116: Kevin Harris, RB, South Carolina

• Now to one of my favorite picks to mock to the Falcons, Kevin Harris. He is a 5’9″ 225lb RB from SC. In 2020 he led the SEC in rushing TD’s with 15. This season he is starting off a bit slower due to coming off an injury right before the season started. when healthy, Harris is a powerful runner who isn’t afraid to hit the holes hard. There are areas of his game that need work, but grabbing a runner to potentially replace Davis in the 4th seems like solid value here.

Adam’s Falcons Mock Draft (@Damski32)

Round 1 Pick 9: DeMarvin Leal, DL, Texas A&M

• *Trade back from 8 to 9 to get a 4th* DeMarvin Leal continued his strong draft year season with a stellar and I mean stellar game vs Bama. Before I stopped watching Leal had 3 pressures, 2 hits and a sack vs that Alabama OL and was just a physical tone setter for them in the game as a whole. I really think on a team that’s starving for a super star on the DL, Leal can really fill that void with his rare combination of power + speed.

Round 1 Pick 20: Kenyon Green, OL, Texas A&M

• *Traded 4th and early second to move up* So I cheated a bit this week, I traded back with my first pick and collected a fourth, moved up from the second with my early Second and selected Kenyon Green, the IOL/Do it all lineman out of Texas A&M (I promise I’m not a super fan of A&M) Green is super versatile OL that has logged snaps everywhere across the OL, kind of like Elgton Jenkins is for GB. Green is a mauler in the run game and has steady feet + hands in the pass game, he’s able to get to the second level and ceil blocks, he’d be a day one starter somewhere across this OL, it’s just a matter of finding the right spot for him.

Round 2 Pick 55: Drake London, WR, USC

• The beauty of that trade-up is I only had to give up a 4th to move up to secure Green. Now, with my second pick I went WR Drake London out of USC. The massive 6’5 210lb WR out of USC is exactly what this offense needs at the X WR. Drake can be a physical player after the catch while being a jump ball WR when the times called for. Drake has a serious knack for attacking the ball at it’s highest point and really injects that “Mike Williams” type of WR into this offense to help out Matt and to set the tone on those short/intermediate routes that Arthur Smith loves to call. Lacks ideal deep speed, but boy can he find the ball in the air with great body control.

Round 3 Pick 79: Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota

• Daniel Faalele is a super talented OT out of Minnesota, I don’t think I projected him yet in this mock draft series, but Faalele represents everything this teams missing on the OL. Big, physical, body snatcher that’s able to inflict his will on opponents. He lost roughly 40 lbs from last year to this year and looks absolutely fantastic moving laterally and being able to move to wall off blockers at the second level. Has a fantastic “Catch technique” That shows the raw power that he truly posses.

Round 4 Pick 116: Jermaine Johnson, EDGE, FSU

• Jermaine Johnson out of FSU (transfer from UGA) is a talented EDGE that has the ability to drop into coverage in the flats as well. He shows a really strong bull rush, while having some OK bend around OT’s. I think he needs to work on consistency, but one thing I noticed that did improve from UGA to FSU was his motor, he runs hot all the time and is always looking to set the tone for the D. Does a very good job on stunts moving inside, and uses some really good power. I think he’d be a solid young rotational pass rusher to start the year, with a big upside!

Stephen’s Falcons Mock Draft (@stevieraylee)

Trade down: Maybe it’s cheating, but I can never help myself when a trade-down scenario makes sense. In this case, I open the door for the Steelers to move up six spots to grab their quarterback of the future and net a pair of third-round picks and a 2023 fourth in return. It’s not the haul I’d like, but the Falcons need to restock the cupboard. The team has less than $16 million in cap space in 2022 and only twenty-nine players under contract; we need bodies.

Round 1 Pick 14: Jordan Davis, DT, Georgia

• Is this too high to take a nose tackle that has historically played limited snaps? Not when it’s Jordan Davis. Dean Pees has had a monster nose tackle at every stop in his NFL career, and the Falcons continue that trend with this move. At 6’6 and 340 pounds, Davis gives the Falcons something they haven’t had in decades, an imposing force inside that will elevate the play of everyone around him.

Round 1 Pick 47: Nik Bonitto, Edge, Oklahoma

• Bonitto is potentially the answer to multiple issues for Atlanta. His 28.6% pass-rush win rate was the best in college football in 2020, and he already has four sacks in the 2021 season. Pees likes his outside linebackers to be more than just full-time pass rushers, and Bonitto has the requisite athleticism to bend the corner and play in space. While he may need to bulk up a bit before he is ready for a full-time job, his pass rush skill set and athleticism will allow him to carve out a role early.

Round 2 Pick 55: Thayer Munford, OT, Ohio St

• We’ve waited patiently for Kaleb McGary to develop into a consistent right tackle, but that patience has gone unrewarded. Munford isn’t necessarily a flashy player that wows you with his power or athleticism, but he does check all the boxes. His tape has progressively improved since a rocky outing in 2019. His handwork, though sometimes inconsistent, is more refined than most of the other options in this area of the draft. I won’t classify this as a “sexy” pick, but the Falcons desperately need to invest in both lines, and Munford would be a welcome addition.

Round 3 Pick 76: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn St

• Brisker isn’t a prospect that will win any medals at the underwear Olympics, but he is a steady, physical player willing to punish receivers and ball carriers. He has the ideal size (6’1, 205) for the position and is a perfect fit for a split safety defense, though he is plenty physical enough to play as a box safety in cover three looks too. Steadiness and versatility are hallmarks of a Dean Pees safety, and Brisker fits that to a tee.

Round 3 Pick 78: Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Edge, Washington

• Adam and Hunter could (accurately) accuse me of cheating off their paper for this pick, but the value here was too good to pass up. ZTF has abundant size, power, and athleticism and would serve as the perfect complimentary piece to Nik Bonitto. With three early picks invested in the defensive front, the Falcons can immediately flip their fortunes and field a dangerous pass rush.

Round 3 Pick 97: Dohnovan West, IOL, Arizona St

• Atlanta has invested mid-round picks at guard/center two years in a row, but I chose to double down again this year. West has experience playing all three interior positions but is probably best suited to play center. He excels when blocking on the move and, at worst, represents quality depth at a position where the Falcons are struggling this season.

Round 4 Pick 115: Noah Daniels, CB, TCU

• This pick is based purely on physical traits because the film on Daniels is limited. He has all the tools you want from a corner. He has good size and excellent speed (10.34 in the 100m), and he doesn’t shy away from contact. The Falcons only have four cornerbacks on their roster for 2022, so adding to this group will be a priority. We’ll get a better picture of Daniels as we get more tape on him, but for now, his traits are too compelling to pass up.